Sanath Jayasuriya sees a bright Sri Lanka

As the Lankans appear shaky as a result of a home defeat at the hands of Pakistan and the impending retirement of Kumar Sangakkara after the second match, Jayasuriya has urged his country to regroup against India.

“We didn’t do well against Pakistan and it was very disappointing,” said Jayasuriya at a private event here on Monday. “At the moment Sri Lanka are going through a lean period. Dilshan, Mahela and now Sangakkara are not going to play Test cricket. But we have enough good cricketers, so we can come back and do well,” he added.

“India’s tour is very important for Sri Lankan cricket. India are doing well at the moment, but in our conditions we are good,” said Jayasuriya.

He has defended the inclusion of 34-year-old Jehan Mubarak, who was their highest run-getter in domestic cricket, in the Test squad against Pakistan, as he emphasised on the need to find a balance that would be impaired by the exit of Sangakkara.

The southpaw indicated that a defensive approach would not be fair from either side, despite India’s poor run against their neighbours in two decades and the hosts’ poor current form. He cited the ongoing Ashes series as an example for the right attitude. “That’s the way to play cricket,” he said, adding, “There is always pressure on the opposition and teams easily score 300 plus runs a day.”